1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to zoom lenses suited to silver-halide cameras, video cameras, still video cameras, etc. and, more particularly, to zoom lenses of the rear focus type.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in the midst of having it demanded to make a minimization of the bulk and size of the entirety of the camera, as the rate at which the photographic lens occupies the camera is relatively large, to make the bulk and size of the photographic lens to a compact form is becoming exigent. The prior-known common zoom lens performs focusing by moving the first lens unit which is positioned nearest to the object side. If this type is employed, the diameter of the first lens unit is in the tendency to increase when focusing on even shorter object distances, because the diameter of the first lens unit is determined so as not to mutilate the off-axial light beam in the wide-angle end for the closest object. This has laid limitations on the making of the compact form.
To solve such a problem, a technique is produced that a lens unit disposed behind the variator lens is made to move when focusing is performed. Many zoom lenses of the so-called rear focus type have been proposed.
For example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Sho 64-79716, there is proposed a zoom lens of the rear focus type constructed from a positive first lens unit, when counted from the object side, a negative second lens unit and a positive third lens unit, zooming being performed by moving the second lens unit and the third lens unit and focusing being performed by moving the third lens unit.
However, the zoom lens of the 3-unit structure disclosed by the above publication has a drawback in that, despite employment of the rear focus type, if focusing is performed on an object at the minimum distance, mechanical interference is caused to occur.